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What are the best call center job titles or call center roles for you and your team? I reviewed 95 call center job titles searched for by candidates and employers to find the best titles for you to choose from.
This is the latest chapter in Ongig’s series called Job Titles: The Definitive Guide.
In this article, you’ll find:
- Contact Center vs Call Center — why many employers are renaming this department
- Call Center vs Customer Service — why they are different in some companies
- Call Center Job Titles Hierarchy — The standard org chart for call center department positions with examples from each of the 6 major call center job levels. I include examples of top employers and what they call their titles.
- The Top 20 Most-Searched-For Call Center Titles — A column chart of the top 20 call center positions that candidates search for on Google.
- 10 Call Center Job Titles and Descriptions — A list of the top 10 call center titles and descriptions that employers request.
- Creative Call Center Job Titles — A few funny job titles we found for contact center professionals.
Contact Center vs Call Center
What is the difference between a contact center and a call center? Many top companies like AAA, Amazon, and Facebook have changed the name of their “call center” to “contact center” (another name for call center) because “call center” seems outdated. So, these terms can be used interchangeably, but there are differences thanks to technology:
“A traditional call center, as the name suggests, is focused on voice calls. Even if a call center provides some multi-channel customer service, the interactions are siloed in the individual channels, with no view of the full customer journey. On the other hand, a modern contact center, as the name indicates, allows customers to contact a company not just via calls, but across whatever channel they choose.” — TTEC
If your company uses more than phone calls for customer support, you might go with “contact center.” In such cases, you might appoint a customer service manager to oversee your operations. However, “call center” titles are still widely recognized and used by companies like CBS, ADP, and AT&T.
What about call center vs call centre (another name for call center). Some global companies use one or the other, or both. They mean the same thing, but “center” is the American English spelling, and “centre” is the Commonwealth English spelling.
Call Center vs Customer Service
Call center titles for leaders vary depending on company size and industry. Some larger companies roll customer service and call center positions into 1 or more groups. For example, Walmart uses “Customer Service and Call Center jobs” as a category on their careers page. They also have a Chief Customer Officer, Janey Whiteside, who reports to the CEO and the E-Commerce Chief. Whiteside looks after the Walmart “customer journey,” including call center support.
Call centers aim to have a high volume of calls to solve customer issues. Customer service gives more 1-on-1 support during the entire customer process.
(Editor’s Note: There are a few call center job titles that overlap with our Top 20 Customer Service Job Titles blog.)
Now, let’s have a look at a typical call center hierarchy.
Call Center Job Titles Hierarchy
Below is a call center hierarchy structure with top seniority listed at the top, down to entry-level jobs at the bottom ( call center roles):
- Head of Call Center – Chief Customer Officer, Chief Contact Center Officer, Chief Support Officer
- Call Center VP – Vice President Call Center Operations, Vice President of Call Center Operations, Contact Center Vice President
- Call Center Director – Call Center Team Leader, Call Center Lead, Contact Centre Team Leader, Director of Call Center Operations, Contact Center Team Leader
- Call Center Supervisor – Call Center Manager, Call Center Operations Manager, Contact Center Manager, Call Center Quality Assurance Manager, Contact Center Supervisor, Call Center System Administrator, Call Center Administrator
- Individual Contributors – CSR, Remote Chat Agent, Call Center Representative, Online Chat Agent, Live Chat Agent, Customer Care Representative, Call Center CSR, Call Center Agent, Call Center Trainer, Call Center Rep, Customer Care Advocate, Customer Service Agent, Call Center Customer Service Representative
- Entry Level – Call Center Administrative Assistant, Manager Trainee Call Center, Jr Call Center Analyst, Call Center Intern, Call Center Training Specialist, Jr Call Center Operator
Here’s a longer list of job titles for call centers by each row of the pyramid with little more texture on each:
Job Titles for Call Center Leaders
Below are the top titles I found candidates and employers using for contact center leaders.
- Chief Customer Officer (Walmart)
- Head of Call Center (NUMA)
- Chief Contact Center Officer (Federal Credit Union)
- Chief Support Officer (United Way)
VP of Call Center Titles
There are a variety of titles at the VP level for call center job titles. Here are the top titles I found candidates and employers using for Call Center Vice President:
- Vice President of Call Center Operations (Comcast)
- VP Call Center Operations (Duke Energy)
- Contact Center Vice President (Bank of America)
- Call Center VP (KeyBank)
- Executive Director Call Center (Advocate Health Care)
- Vice President Contact Center (MGM International)
Director of Call Center Titles
Here are the most used call center director titles:
- Call Center Team Leader (Southwest Airlines)
- Call Center Team Lead (CBS Interactive)
- Call Center Lead (Orangetheory Fitness)
- Contact Center Team Leader (Garmin)
- Contact Centre Team Leader (Emirates)
- Director Call Center Operations (Walmart)
- Director of Call Center Operations (Saks Incorporated)
- Director of Call Center Services (Citi)
- Virtual Call Center Lead (Comcast)
Call Center Manager Titles
Here are the top Call Center Manager job titles I found candidates and employers using:
- Call Center Supervisor (Conduent)
- Call Center Manager (PEAK6)
- Call Center Operations Manager (Kaiser Permanente)
- Contact Center Manager (Amazon)
- Call Center Quality Assurance Manager (AT&T)
- Contact Center Supervisor (Global Payments, Inc.)
- Call Center System Administrator (Boeing)
- Call Center Administrator (realtor.com)
- Contact Center Operations Manager (Safelife Solutions)
- Manager Contact Center (UnitedHealth Group)
- Global Response Center Manager (HPE)
- Global Contact Center Operations Manager (Facebook)
Individual Contributor Call Center Titles
When you get to the individual contributor level of call center roles, there is more granularity. Here are the top 20 titles I found candidates and employers using:
- Chat Agent (H&M)
- CSR (Netflix)
- Call Center Representative (Comcast)
- Remote Chat Agent (Bed, Bath & Beyond)
- Customer Care Representative (United Airlines)
- Call Center CSR (CIBC)
- Call Center Rep (AT&T)
- Customer Service Agent (Equinix)
- Call Center Customer Service Representative (Steward Healthcare)
- Call Center Trainer (Maximus)
- Live Chat Agent (Percepta)
- Call Center Agent (HCA Healthcare)
- Call Center Quality Analyst (ADP)
- Customer Care Agent (HelloFresh)
- Call Center Specialist (MassMutual)
- Outbound Call Center Agent (Capital One)
- Escalations Specialist (home Depot)
- Online Chat Agent (GoDaddy)
- Virtual Customer Service Agent (Amazon)
- Contact Center Engineer (Amerisource Bergen)
Entry Level Call Center Job Titles
Here are the top entry level call center titles I found candidates and employers using:
- Call Center Administrative Assistant (Planned Parenthood)
- Manager Trainee Call Center (Aflac)
- Entry Level Call Center Claims Representative (MetLife)
- Jr Call Center Analyst (Freedom Mortgage)
- Call Center Intern (Ariat International)
- Call Center Training Specialist (Walt Disney World)
- Junior Call Center Agent (iQor)
- Jr Call Center Operator (Alder Tech)
- Entry Level Contact Center Agent (Walmart)
Top 20 Call Center Job Titles (Candidates)
Below is a list of the top 20 call center job titles based on Google queries we found on ahrefs. The list gives us an overview of the alternative careers (and the popularity of each role) accessible by service support teams.
Chat Agent is the top searched-for jobs in inbound call center by candidates, while CSR is the top searched by employers. What is a chat agent? A chat agent communicates through live chat or email to troubleshoot, solve issues, or answer customers’ questions.
Top 10 Call Center Job Titles with Descriptions (Employers)
Below are the top 10 call center job titles employers request on Google, according to ahrefs.
I’ve included a brief call center position description for each and the # of job title searches per month by employers.
CSR
A CSR or Customer Service Representative works in a call center or customer service department of a business. So, if you own a multivendor eCommerce platform, for example, you definitely need a CSR to handle your customer needs. A CSR gradually develops a greater understanding of service interactions, opening doors to specializations such as customer service directors or other roles as customer service specialists.
CSR job duties include:
- resolving customer complaints
- answering client questions
- taking and fulfilling phone or online customer orders
- Providing directions and guidelines for meeting customer satisfaction in managing a product or service
# of job title searches per month: 500; Call Center CSR: 150
Call Center Representative
A Call Center Representative maintains customer databases, fields customer calls, and resolves problems. Other customer service jobs of a Call Center Representative include:
- Troubleshooting for clients
- Adding product features for customers
- Finding solutions for clients
# of job title searches per month: 200; Customer Care Representative: 150; Call Center Rep: 80; Customer Service Agent: 80
Chief Customer Officer
A Chief Customer Officer leads the customer service team in an organization. A Chief Customer Officer creates systems to improve customer service at call centers and the customer’s experience. A Chief Customer Officer also develops employee training programs related to optimal customer experience. The Chief Customer Officer works with the senior management team to solve customer problems and create long-term customer retention plans.
Specific roles and responsibilities of a chief customer officer may include:
- Aligning customer service strategies with business intelligence initiatives and optimizing the overall client experience.
- Accessing and interpreting customer data for fine-tuning service team protocols and engagement methods.
- Collaborating with other senior leaders on improving or expanding product strategies based on feedback from customers and service managers.
# of job title searches per month: 100
Call Center Team Leader
A Call Center Team Leader manages a team of call center employees at many levels. A Call Center Team Leader:
- tracks progress for issue resolution
- supports employee performance training
- partners with upper-level management on call center goals
- Implements and oversees quality assessments for call center agents based on the latest company KPIs
# of job title searches per month: 100; Call Center Team Lead: 80, Call Center Director: 60
Call Center Manager
A Call Center Manager leads a staff of call center support agents. A Call Center Manager is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of a call center and improving call center processes through strategic planning. The specific responsibilities of a call center manager often include:
- Achieving long-term planning by recruiting, training, and developing call center agents
- Handling staffing requirements (e.g., budgets) while ensuring customer satisfaction
- Procuring and introducing new call center technology and tools when required to boost the overall efficiency of team members.
# of job title searches per month: 90
Call Center Trainer
A Call Center Trainer guides call center staff through training to improve performance in fulfilling customer needs. Trainers often develop materials to further specific business objectives, equipping technical support specialists with problem-solving skills for handling myriad scenarios (such as maintaining efficient and quality responses within a certain time frame). The main tasks of a Call Center Trainer are:
- creating and updating training materials
- preparing call center employees to create satisfied customers
- keeping records of training sessions and employee information
# of job title searches per month: 60
Call Center Quality Analyst
A Call Center Quality Analyst observes call center employee phone calls, emails, chats, and social media messages to measure performance standards. A Call Center Quality Analyst creates and carries out quality monitoring assessments and provides feedback to managers for improvement in customer service roles. This role also recommends quality improvement programs from call centers. Other specific duties handled by call center quality analysts include:
- Reporting on the improvements of call agents to management which affects job performance appraisals and promotion opportunities
- Analyzing customer responses and interactions to assess satisfaction levels and guiding agents accordingly
- Assisting call center agents in fulfilling industry compliance standards such as first call resolutions and average handle time.
# of job title searches per month: 40
Telephone Sales Representative
A Telephone Sales Representative interacts with customers by phone. Telephone sales representatives’ duties include selling products, recording customer responses, creating customer accounts, and recommending add-ons for orders. A Telephone Sales Representative often uses a script when talking to customers. Telephone sales representatives may manage specific duties that include:
- Meeting sales quotas set by sales managers and company business goals.
- Presenting the unique selling points of each service or product and effectively promoting them via calls and other supporting materials.
- Supporting other service support teams in their email and social media engagement campaigns with follow-up calls.
# of job title searches per month: 20
Web Chat Agent
A Web Chat Agent works in an office or in a virtual environment from a home office. These specialized customer support representatives offer technical support that drives a positive customer experience. A Web Chat Agent:
- communicates with customers using live chat or other channels
- troubleshoot customer issues
- answers questions for customers about products or orders
# of job title searches per month: 10
Call Center Recruiter
A Call Center Recruiter hires call center representatives, sometimes in high volumes. A Call Center Recruiter:
- creates and posts on job boards for call center positions
- screens potential contact center employees
- review and updates candidate information in ATSs
# of job title searches per month: 10
Funny Call Center Job Titles
Below are 4 funny and creative call center job titles we’ve found to refer to your customer service representatives in a light-hearted manner.
- Chief Chatter (Call Center Manager)
- Geek Squad Agent (Customer Service Agent)…Best Buy uses Geek Squad Agents to repair and upsell clients
- Genius (Customer Service Person)…Apple uses it at Apple Store. Apple actually refers to their support team as the genius bar since they want customers to feel like they’re offered a refreshing martini at the bar!
- Happiness Hero (Customer Service Representative)…Buffer
Want more funny job titles? Check out our 100+ Creative & Funny Job Titles [by Department & Position]
Remote vs. On-Site Roles: How Call Center Job Titles and Responsibilities Differ
Location-Based Variations in Call Center Job Titles and Roles
In call centers, job titles and responsibilities can shift depending on whether the role is remote or on-site. Both settings demand exceptional service and customer satisfaction, but each comes with unique focuses and challenges.
Customer Service Representatives: Remote vs. On-Site
For customer service representatives working remotely, problem-solving skills and effective communication are crucial. They handle customer inquiries by phone or chat, providing guidance on technical issues, product support, and answering questions. While their tasks are similar to on-site agents, remote agents often need to show extra technical knowledge and independence due to the lack of immediate, in-person support.
On the other hand, on-site center agents have more frequent face-to-face customer interactions. This can be beneficial for roles that involve team members needing close collaboration, such as customer success managers or technical support representatives who troubleshoot with a team on complex issues.
Leadership Roles: Customer Service Managers and Directors
Customer service manager and director of customer service roles have a crucial role in maintaining service quality and strategic planning for both remote and on-site teams. For remote teams, these leaders may focus on communication skills and setting up best practices for effective support. They also ensure customer expectations are met by coaching agents to deliver a positive customer experience.
On-site customer service managers, however, might work more closely with their teams to tackle challenges directly and provide real-time guidance. This hands-on support can be particularly valuable for entry-level call center agents who are learning common entry-level job titles and customer service skills.
Senior Roles: Senior Call Center Managers and Customer Service Directors
Remote and on-site senior positions, like senior call center manager or customer service director, have a significant role in managing daily operations across different industries. These roles require strong leadership and prior experience in operations management and service delivery. So, remote leaders often use customer relationship management software to keep teams aligned. While on-site leaders, on the other hand, may focus more on in-person conflict resolution and ensuring that customer service agents deliver quality service.
Career Paths and Growth Opportunities
Both remote and on-site call center environments offer diverse career path options. For those in customer service jobs, moving from a customer support representative to customer service manager or even director of customer service is possible. Those with technical expertise may also consider an alternative career in technical support specialists or customer service engineers roles, which often require advanced technical knowledge.
Which Setting is the Best Fit?
The ideal setting for each role often depends on the customers’ needs and job responsibilities. Remote roles are a good fit for individuals who can work independently, while on-site roles may benefit those who excel in team dynamics and account management. Whether remote or on-site, call center roles play a pivotal role in business success by creating brand loyalty and ensuring customer needs are met in a way that exceeds customer expectations.
In either case, call center professionals in customer support, complaints resolution, and customer success management are essential in providing a seamless experience that upholds the company’s standards.
Closing Thoughts on Call Center Job Titles
Hiring the right customer service agents contributes to your overall company’s reputation by putting your best foot forward. These roles go far beyond answering phone calls and managing customer inquiries based on a standard script or protocol.
Center agents serve a critical role in promoting client trust and loyalty from customer interactions. Agent responsibilities include following the latest regulations and best practices in safeguarding user data and maintaining consistency in a company’s voice (to reflect your organizational values, mission, and tone).
Therefore it is important to iron out every detail in hiring for these pivotal roles. One important aspect of recruitment involves laying out a clear career path for shortlisting and selecting individuals with the right skill set and cultural fit with effective job descriptions (JDs).
Leveraging AI for Call Center Job Titles
Ongig’s advanced Text Analyzer platform enables your recruitment teams to generate the most effective and non-biased job descriptions to streamline the most complex call center hiring campaigns.
Simply key in your preferred job title for a vacancy (e.g., customer success manager) and Text Analyzer immediately generates an optimized JD with relevant sections based on the latest industry, DEI, and job seeker trends.
You can then tweak the generated JD based on your campaign criteria or save it as a template for scaling future recruitment efforts. These would save you time and trouble navigating the subtle differences between call center job titles while optimizing the candidate experience. Win-win!
Call Center Job Titles Sources
A special thanks to these experts on these call center positions:
- What’s the difference between a call center and customer service? (by Phykon.com)
- Chat Agent Job Description (by JobHero)
- Contact Center vs. Call Center: 6 Key Differences and Why it Matters (by Judith Akino)
- Call Center vs. Contact Center: What’s the Difference? (by Al Cook)
- Call Center vs Call Centre (by Wikipedia)
- What Does a Customer Service Representative Do? (by Dawn Rosenberg McKay)
- How to Become the Chief Customer Officer (CCO) (by Swetha Amarasen)
- What Exactly Does a Customer Service Rep Do? by Swetha Amarasen)
- 6 Skills You Need to Become a Call Center Representative (by Peter Jones)
- 7 Things Great Call Center Managers Do Every Day (by Daniela Puzzo)
- Call Center Team Leader Skills: Everything You Need To Know (by Playvox)
- Job Description for a Phone Sales Representative (by Shailynn Crow)
Why I wrote this?
My team and I share this research on call center job titles to help you optimize the titles of your technical support representatives. We understand how challenging it can get for enterprises to promote their talent acquisition campaigns for similar professions across various roles. This supports our mission to attract the most qualified talent with compelling job descriptions.
Request a demo with Text Analyzer to discover how you can transform and remove bias from your job titles and job descriptions. That way, you can constantly hire the most suitable team member, regardless of whether a position is for a junior role, senior call center manager, or director of customer service.
